450 to join Bay clean-up project
MORE than 450 Nelson Mandela Bay residents are to benefit from temporary jobs created in a “War on Waste” programme initiated yesterday.
The project was launched by Nelson Mandela Bay mayor Athol Trollip and his deputy, Mongameli Bobani, at an illegal dumping site along Daku Road in Kwazakhele.
The part-time jobs will extend for three months through the Extended Public Works Programme, with litter pickers dedicated to clearing illegal dumps in Port Elizabeth townships.
Mvusi Mafuna, 49, of New Brighton, said he was happy to finally have a job after 15 years of unemployment.
“I am very happy, I have been without work for the past 15 years and having a job means that I can finally do some things for myself and my three children,” Mafuna said.
Noxolo Ngcumbe, 31, of Veeplaas, said the temporary employment could not have come at a better time.
“This job will make a big difference, because we were sitting at home with nothing to do,” Ngcumbe said.
“Even though this is a temporary job, we appreciate it.”
Ngcumbe has been unemployed for the past year and a half.
The new employees were eager to start after Trollip said that it was not a job that could be done halfheartedly, because the rubbish would still be there should they not do their work.
“Some of you are wearing bibs and gloves, but we want to encourage you to do your work – please do not come to work and stare at the rubbish before leaving it where you found it.
“With this job, it is easy to tell if you are working or not – as it is all in the end product,” Trollip said.
Bobani – who is also head of public health on the mayoral committee – said an additional budget of R15-million had been allocated for the cleanup campaign.
“This is a starting point, we are going to clean up the city and other areas including Motherwell, Uitenhage and the northern areas, because we have had enough of hooligans who dump their waste wherever.”
Bobani said the metro was in the process of proposing new and strict bylaws to deal with illegal dumping.
“We have seen that the R1 000 and R2 000 fines for illegal dumping are not enough and we are looking at stricter measures,” he said.
“This is a community-driven project – the R15-million is going to be spent on trucks and salaries of the workers who have been appointed.
“We can only create 450 jobs, even though we want to create more,” Bobani said.
Ubuntu Environment Trust chairman Moki Cekisani said such work-providing programmes would help decrease the crime rate.
“This programme is going to help in effecting environmental education in the townships and, if handled well, it could create even more jobs as far as recycling is concerned.
“This will instill compassion. People will stop being violent if they stay in a clean environment,” Cekisani said.
“It will also promote an integrated society as we are very divided.”